My first visit was on October 26, 2024. I stopped during an autumn foliage drive from 然別峡かんの温泉, via パールスカイライン and then 然別湖→糠平湖→層雲峡. You can park on the roadside and see it right in front of you, so it's a sightseeing spot suited to someone like me who isn't good at walking (doesn't like it). There was a path-like route to the rocks, and it looked possible to climb up, but I felt that losing my balance and falling would definitely mean bleeding, so I only took photos from the front. Apparently it's called a “block slope.” It's exactly the sort of scree field where you'd expect a pika to pop out. I learned something.

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A curious place where you can observe rocks scattered all over. I don't think lava is normally this jumbled, but certain circumstances make it turn out this way. Water seeps into joints and freezes, expanding in volume and splitting the rock. Repeated cycles leave similarly sized rocks scattered around. The gaps become something like wind holes, keeping a fairly consistent temperature year-round, apparently making them suitable for pikas. There seems to be a habitat nearby, and you can hear their calls if you go. Apparently it's very difficult to actually see them.

Nearby is a habitat of Ezo pikas, of which there are only about 1000, and you can observe them in a quiet environment.

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You can park in the wide roadside strip nearby. The block slope can be observed right next to the road. Sakhalin firs line the roadside, creating a landscape typical of the north.

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About 200m downhill from the top of 白樺峠 along prefectural road 85 (パールスカイライン) toward 帯広, there is a spot where the mountainside has collapsed, exposing large rocks scattered around. It is what is known as a scree field. Water that seeped into the bedrock froze and expanded, breaking up the rock and causing it to collapse. There are many cool wind holes, and Ezo pikas live here, so you might see one if you're lucky. The roadside widens here, allowing cars to park in a line.